We are interested in the secondary structure of short peptides in aqueous solutions. Previous studies within our group have shown that a series of D-Pro containing 16-mers adopt monomeric ?-hairpin conformations in aqueous solution, while their all-L stereoisomers do not. We plan to probe the fundamental requirements for ?-hairpin formation in water. The first objective will be to determine the minimum number of residues necessary for a stable ?-hairpin. The second goal will be to perform structure-activity studies with the aim of learning how specific residues and interresidue interactions contribute to b-hairpin stability. Peptides designed to contain multiple hairpins will also be analyzed. Our group has previously identified ?-hairpin formation in both organic and aqueous media using NMR techniques. COSY and TOCSY experiments facilitate peak assignments, while NOESY and/or ROESY experiments provide information regarding the three-dimensional solution structure. Additional experimental techniques for characterization of synthesized peptides will include circular dichroism and IR studies.